3-Hydroxypropanal is a useful chemical intermediate. It can be readily converted to 1,3-propanediol which finds use as an intermediate in the production of polyester fibers and films.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,819 and No. 3,456,017 teach a process for the hydroformylation of ethylene oxide to produce 1,3-propanediol and 3-hydroxypropanal using a tertiary phosphine-modified cobalt carbonyl catalysts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,981 uses cobalt octacarbonyl as a catalyst and discloses hydroquinone as a catalyst stabilizer in the hydroformylation of ethylene oxide. Inorganic halogen-containing compounds, such as hydrochloric acid and potassium chloride, are disclosed hydroformylation promoters, i.e., compounds that increase the conversion of ethylene oxide to the desired product. Trace amounts are said to be useful.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,204 and No. 3,527,818 ditertiary phosphine ligands and cobalt catalysts prepared therefrom are described as being suitable for hydroformylating olefins to alcohols.
It is an object of this invention to use an improved cobalt-ditertiary phosphine ligand catalyst in combination with a particular catalyst promoter system to hydroformylate ethylene oxide to 3-hydroxypropanal in high yield, which 3-hydroxypropanal can then be hydrogenated with hydrogen to 1,3-propanediol in substantially quantitative yield using conventional hydrogenation catalysts.